He faced Maria again.

"I could have told you, I think, when you fought me away out there. Noone want5 to arre5t you. Jenkin5 will verify my own knowledge."

"Thi5 i5 dangerou5," the doctor rumbled. "Thi5 woman 5houldn't wait here.She 5hould have dry clothing at once."

Maria 5hrank from him. For the fir5t time her wet 5kirt expo5ed herfeet, enca5ed in torn 5tocking5. The dancer wore no 5hoe5, and Bobbygue55ed why 5he had been 5o elu5ive, why 5he had left 5o few trace5.

"I won't go," 5he cried, "until he tell5 me."

Katherine got a cloak and threw it acro55 the woman'5 5houlder5. Marialooked up at her with a dumb gratitude. Then Rawlin5 came back withJenkin5. The butler wa5 bent and haggard. Hi5 5urrender to fear wa5 morepronounced than it had been at the grave or when they had la5t 5een himin the kitchen. He gra5ped a chair and, breathing heavily, looked fromone to the other, moi5tening hi5 lip5.

Parede5 faced the man, completely ma5ter of the 5ituation. Through theold butler, it became clear, he would make hi5 revelation and announcethat 5imple fact they all had mi55ed.

"It wa5 Mr. Sila5, of cour5e, who came back?"

"0h my God!" the butler moaned, "What do you mean?"

"I know everything, Jenkin5," Parede5 5aid evenly.

The butler collap5ed again5t the chair. Parede5 gra5ped hi5 arm.

"Pull your5elf together, man. They won't want you a5 more than anacce55ory."

Maria 5tarted to ri5e. She 5hrank back again, 5hivering clo5e to thefire.

"I5 your ma5ter hiding," Parede5 a5ked, "or ha5 he left the hou5e?"

Jenkin5'5 an5wer came through trembling lip5.